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9th April 2024
09:58am BST
UFC fighter Conor McGregor has been accused by local residents of turning his planned Howth hotel venture into a venue "reminiscent of Ibiza parties".
Last month, the Sunday Business Post reported that the Dubliner was seeking permission to build a hotel on top of the Waterside Pub in Howth.
McGregor purchased the pub in 2022 and is now reportedly looking to demolish the current premises for a new building, which will include a "boutique" hotel complete with a roof terrace.
However, locals have raised their concerns over the planning, with one resident objecting to the "unprecedented" roof terrace in their submissions to Fingal County Council.
Monica Lambert, a resident of Dunbo Hill, Howth, which is to the rear of the premises, said that the space would “without doubt be used as a beer and party garden reminiscent of Ibiza parties”, and would be “wholly out of character” for such a quiet, residential area.
“If permitted the proposed roof area would be open to bar patrons, parties, reservation parties and events, booming music, and a whole variety of loud activities out of character and without consideration of location and neighbours,” Ms Lambert said.
She added that "there is a danger that the applicant may seek to use the Roof Garden / Roof Bar as a late nightclub."
Other residents raised objections to McGregor's plans for his Howth hotel, with the main cause for concern being the obstruction of views of the harbour.
Nearby residents Patrick and Louise Rickard said: “The charm of this area of Howth is in the interesting and quaint streetscapes with unexpected views of the harbour and northwards to Ireland’s Eye and Lambay Island.
"It is one of the first areas visitors and tourists visit in Howth, after the harbour. If tourism is to be encouraged in Howth, this area should be protected."
In place of the demolished Waterside pub, McGregor plans to put in place a part five-storey and part four-storey terraced building.
The plans reveal that once rebuilt, a pub would remain on the ground floor with a restaurant on the first floor with access from Harbour Road, across from the Howth Yacht Club.
The building’s second, third and fourth floors would feature boutique hotel bedrooms and a residents’ terrace area with access from the street behind, Church Street.
The Waterside has been closed since McGregor purchased the premises two years ago, with the MMA star also purchasing the Marble Arch in Drimnagh, which has similarly been closed since the purchase.
A third business owned by McGregor is his popular Black Forge Inn in Crumlin, which he has pumped a large amount of money into since it opened nearly three years ago.
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